Mavs @ Lakers

[sosafan70]

These guys are just so snake-bitten on becoming winners and champions. The failed accomplishments of a last couple of years have really caught up with them.

They overachieved in the past, sure. But now they are playing as if they never deserved any of it. That they never deserved to be an elite team in the West. That they didn't deserve to win Game 7 against the Spurs or win 67 games last year.

This team is not made up of champions

[Teffer10]

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No, this just shows how much our team chokes down the stretch. They find ways to lose, and I guarantee you that has nothing to do with Diop. All these games we've lost since the Kidd trade haven't come down to defense any more than they've come down to completely blown offensive opportunities: poor passes, missed (wide open) shots, etc.

Let's try blaming the guys who are here rather than they guys who aren't, because it's a handful of players currently on the roster who aren't getting it done down the stretch.

I think one of the reasons why we choke offensively in the last few minutes is because the game slows down. We are much better in transition with Kidd but the last 2 minutes of a game is primarily a half court game and that is where we have some issues. The ball always ends up in iso sets with Dirk and then the a double team from the defense. It seems that in the closing minutes, the Mavs just throw the ball to Dirk and clear out. No ball movement or motion to our offense. I noticed in the first half that our offense was full of motion even on the half court sets, not just in transition.

Our lack of having a goto guy who can get to the basket is also being exposed in the last few minutes of a game. The Lakers have 3 (maybe 4 with Bynum) players that can get to the basket down the stretch. The Mavs have none...or at least nobody that will try.

The worst possible thing for this team is about to happen. We will back into the playoffs by losing less games than the other 2 at the bottom and be embarrassed again in the first round. In the process, we will lose our draft pick which would be an excellent bargaining tool in the off season.

[JES12]

Yeah, in the half court sets, the passes are defiantly not crisp from whoever's hand (even Kidd's) and most of the time it's not the PG. In the past we overcame this by having a player that can penetrate from a double team and get to the hole. We don't have that player anymore.

Too bad Monta Ellis will be getting more than the MLE this off-season.

Edited for blatant drug impairment as I did not even understand what I wrote.

[Colombiano972]

Is it ridiculous to say that Josh is cancer at this point?

[mavsfoty]

Is it ridiculous to say that Josh is cancer at this point?

Yes.

[akademik]

What is getting sad now is that as a long time fan I am not confident when the games get close at the end, I get the feeling that we are going to drop the ball everytime...and thats exactly what happened last night.

[Flexx10dzl]

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Kobe and Gasol are both high IQ players. Don't see how anyone could complain about that.

We have a high IQ player in Kidd, that's about it. But he's not a scorer. And Dirk is alright, relative to the others on our team.

I think Kidd and Dirk and Howard stack ... have a great IQ ( basketball)..But I agree with your overall point..

But do you notice ( I watch every mavs game i'm in OK.) that Avery's judgment is questioned by broadcasters ever game..whether is about taking dirk out too early or not playing kidd or subbing out damp ect?

I think Avery is feeling pressure and isn't responding well

[ppp000]

-Everyone is right in saying in the slow halfcourt offense down the stretch, Kidd isn't nearly effective. Usually resorting to standing in the background, but still I'd rather him handle the ball 99% of the time instead of Howard/Stackhouse/Terry who have always been prone to bad decisions like fumbled passes, TOs, etc etc. And yes we do miss Devin's penetration at such times, and Kidd needs to look to be more than a passer when its obvious no one is converting besides Dirk.

-And Avery should look for a different plan than a Dirk ISO. Everyone and their grandma knows that the last few plays will be a Dirk ISO...how predictable and exactly when has the Dirk ISO had success?? Maybe once in a blue moon. Oftentimes it just seems like the other guys are clearing out for Dirk to go against the defense...do we have no other plays?

To me, this was another typical Mavs Meltdown by the script: someone loses their cool for a untimely tech, after that no one can execute anymore. We know the story.

-Also Eddie Jones should not be getting significant playing time. Can Antoine Wright be so much worse?

[ppp000]

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I think Kidd and Dirk and Howard stack ... have a great IQ ( basketball)..But I agree with your overall point..

But do you notice ( I watch every mavs game i'm in OK.) that Avery's judgment is questioned by broadcasters ever game..whether is about taking dirk out too early or not playing kidd or subbing out damp ect?

I think Avery is feeling pressure and isn't responding well

Regarding Avery: yes many of his decisions are questionable, already numerous threads on this. And yes, it seems this season he seems to be outcoached by the broadcasters in crunchtime.

[MavsFan40]

[chefy]

question mav's fans how often does josh howard play sg?? and doesnt he play point forward too?

[your_dallas_mavericks]

This team has been so frustrating to watch as of late....

True dat. Unfortunately, true dat...

[your_dallas_mavericks]

Maybe our luck will change when Stack is Back once again...

Or maybe I will put on my cape, jump out the window, fly somewhere and save some damsel in distress...

Aahhh, maybe after someone gets that bus off of me I might do that...

[DDansby123]

-Everyone is right in saying in the slow halfcourt offense down the stretch, Kidd isn't nearly effective. Usually resorting to standing in the background, but still I'd rather him handle the ball 99% of the time instead of Howard/Stackhouse/Terry who have always been prone to bad decisions like fumbled passes, TOs, etc etc. And yes we do miss Devin's penetration at such times, and Kidd needs to look to be more than a passer when its obvious no one is converting besides Dirk.

I think we've always needed two things in the backcourt: (1) good passing and (2) slashing. We've never had both, but I think it's easier to find a wing who can slash than one who can pass (the latter are mostly superstars).

Of course, the shot Josh missed late against LA came off Kidd's deep penetration.

-Also Eddie Jones should not be getting significant playing time. Can Antoine Wright be so much worse?

If we're looking only at scoring, no, Wright couldn't be much worse. If we're looking at the potential to make costly mistakes, then yes, I'd say Wright could be much worse.

[Teffer10]

[quote="DDansby123"]I think we've always needed two things in the backcourt: (1) good passing and (2) slashing. We've never had both, but I think it's easier to find a wing who can slash than one who can pass (the latter are mostly superstars).[quote]

I still think a guy that we should consider in the offseason that can get his shot from anywhere on the floor is VC. His ridiculous contract makes him somewhat achievable without giving up too much in terms of talent.

I wonder if Stack, Bass, and George (S&T) would get it done.